When I bought my house on Vine Street 33 years ago, most of the houses around here were owner occupied. In just a few years, starting about 20 years ago, the houses were sold one by one to investors. Now most of the houses are rented. Nobody in this area wants to be involved in improving it. That's because they are most all involved in the bad behavior. However, there are a few good families around. One of the neighbors got tired of picking up all the beer bottles left lying on the sidewalk by his neighbors every night, so he put his recycle bin right beside the steps for them. Now he picks up all their beer bottles every morning and puts them in his recycle bin before leaving for work. I knew some people who lived in the 500 block of Poplar Street until a couple of years ago. They said they kept their block nice, just like Dee says she does with hers. But, finally they gave up and moved out, too. It didn't last. Just wait, they will get further west soon enough.

I did see the Mayor and Chief of Police walk past here last Tuesday. They did not seem well pleased by what they saw.

Sure will if people don't do anything about it. My neighborhood is not in as much danger as yours as they do not plan on moving, they, like me, love their neighborhood and that is where the good fight begins. If you call it Garbage Hill or constantly talk about the loser, filth and scum. Well, nothing worth saving there.

Now lets ban baseball bats.
"I researched that before buying my home. I would NEVER buy a house in an area that is mostly rentals. Common sense should tell anyone that is not a good idea."

Dee
Are you saying that people who rent are bad or you are just too good to live on the same block as people who rent. That almost sounds like profiling.

Read Dee's post again, she said she would never buy a house in an area that is MOSTLY rentals - big difference. And whether it's profiling or not, it's her right (and everyone else's) to choose where she lives and who she lives near.

I'm saying people who rent in general do not care about their property as much as someone who owns their property. I'm saying people who rent do not have as much vested interest in the quality of life in their neighborhood as someone who owns their home. I'm saying a landlord, the homeowner, is not there everyday making sure things are as they should be. I want to live around people that own their home and live in it. They make the best neighbors. That's a fact.